


Girlfriend (Q2 2016)

by Hyogacamus1984



Series: 青春アミーゴ (Seishun Amigo) [32]
Category: Hey! Say! JUMP, Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 03:21:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17052125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyogacamus1984/pseuds/Hyogacamus1984
Summary: Actual life is keeping me away from AO3. Sorry for the long delayed update.





	Girlfriend (Q2 2016)

**Author's Note:**

> Actual life is keeping me away from AO3. Sorry for the long delayed update.

Yamada realises there is a reason why Toma insists on going to Tokio Kakeru with him when they are promoting Grasshopper together. He used to think Toma is being an overprotective senpai because he is close to Arashi, and Arashi is JUMP’s biggest fan (and protector for that matter), it seems like Toma is always protecting him when they are promoting together (To be honest nothing has really changed when he promotes the second Assassination Classroom with Ninomiya, the only different is that Ninomiya cannot always be there before Arashi has such a busy schedule, and they can’t just postpone their own show like JUMP).   
Even though the five senpai in Tokio are not as scary as before now that he has spent a more time with them (and the compulsory kiss from Matsuoka whilst they were drinking that night), but there is no guarantee that they aren’t going to make him uncomfortable.   
And that is exactly what happened when he turns up at Tokio Kakeru on his own.   
Sixty five thousand yen a month on rent is definitely too much rent to pay and he definitely can’t spend five hundred million on a penthouse (he doesn’t have five million yen), despite the fact that it is absolutely beautiful and very safe and no one will ever find him.  
And if it isn’t on the top of the building with full lengths windows.  
Admittedly they are only following on from what they talked about last year, and to be honest Tokio is not aware on his living situation at all so they are doing it for the sake of what the viewer wants.  
But making him choose the type of girls he likes?  
It is as if they are out there to taunt him about his relationship with Yuto (not that they are admitting to it).

\---

“Don’t watch the next episode of Tokio Kekaru with me in it.” Yamada says the moment he walks into the dressing room at Fuji. Then he realises everybody is in the room, but Yuto. The one person that he is directing his statement at.  
“Okay...?” Yabu says. “Is there a reason?”  
“It’s just a weird episode and I don’t even know why they made me do it.” Yamada says, sitting down at the table and picks up one of the bento. He hasn’t had lunch yet, and this looks really nice. There are only two bento left on the table, and Yuto isn’t there yet so he picks up one of them without checking the sticker with their names on it, opens it and shoves a massive mouthful of Japanese curry down his throat. It has a weird taste, but he is so hungry he ignores it.  
“Yamada.” Inoo says, stopping his second mouthful. “You do realise they is Yuto’s bento?” He looks at the discarded lid and lo and behold - Yuto’s name is written on it, black and white.  
“He won’t mind.” Yuya answers. “He doesn’t care about anything when it comes to Yamada.”  
“Sorry I am late!” Yuto says as he strolls into the room and three strides he is standing right next to Yamada already.   
“It’s got tomato in it.” Chinen smirks. Yamada puts down the bento box and grabs a bottle of water from table.  
“That’s my bento!” Yuto says, holding the lid to his face and pointing at the label. “My name!”  
“You can have Yamada’s instead. I am sure he won’t mind.” Hikaru smiles wickedly.  
“It’s only a mouthful!” Yamada argues. “You can have a mouthful of mine and we’ll be even.”  
“It’s not like the two of you don’t share food anyway…” Dai-chan mumbles.  
“Fine.” Yuto says as he sits down and stretches his legs out in front of him, nearly tripping Hikaru over.  
“Put those legs away Goddamnit!” Hikaru shouts.

\---

Yuto looks at his denim overall and sighs.  
He has asked their manager-san to check with TV Tokyo if he can have some new denim overalls, because he has been rolling the bottom of the trousers up all through winter (when they have been given hoodies to wear underneath) when they are on set as well as out and about doing location shootings.  
And no matter how much heat pads he sticks onto his legs and body (he even put them on the bottom of his feet), he cannot keep his ankle warm.  
Summer is coming, and he really thinks it’s time to keep those legs down now.   
He doesn’t understand why he is having problems and Yabu isn’t.  
Keito is wondering why Yuto is sitting a little bit too close to him because as they get ready to film Little Tokyo Live, and he has also tucks his legs behind Yamada, unlike his usual position where one leg is sticking out from the platform. 

“Yuto, stop kneeing my back.” Yamada turns his head and says.   
“Sorry.” Yuto apologises.  
“Why don’t you just sit normally?” Keito asks.  
“The bottom of my trousers is too short, and I have already rolled them up so they look like they are meant to be short.” Yuto answers. “If I roll them any further up it’d be half way up my calves and I’ll look stupid. I am trying to hide my legs so I don’t look too bad.”  
“Well at least you’re not rolling them up because you need to stop yourself from tripping on the excess material.” Keito says, looking at Dai-chan, Chinen and Yamada. Yuto can’t help but smiles at Keito’s positivity on nearly every situation.

\---

“SEVEN is on their way.” Yabu says, putting is phone back into his pocket. “We should start getting ready.” The rest of BEST nods, and they head into the studio. 

They like magazine photoshoots because there is a lot of sitting around, which means that JUMP gets to catch up on each other’s gossip. Despite public beliefs, even though they work together as colleagues and comrades as much as they are friends, they still hang out with other people and really the only time they talk is when they are sitting around as a group waiting in photoshoots. They don’t catch up over internet games and PlayStation, it’s not the right place to talk personal lives when you are busy running around being stealthy.   
BEST changes into their allocated clothes, and as usual they are laughing at each other. Dai-chan gets the shorts and he really does look like he is part of SEVEN rather than BEST. Yuya has the short straw and gets the crop trousers. None of them like crop trousers and they don’t understand why men wear crop trousers because all of them just wear normal jeans (maybe they are ripped, but not on purpose) privately and none of them understand the concept of skinny jeans, let along cropped jeans.  
Even Yuto, who is officially a model.   
Even Yamada, who has the best taste in fashion.  
Best can’t wait until SEVEN gets here and laughs at Yuto though, because he has the worst outfit of them all.

\---

“How can you wear something like THAT and still look good? It’s not fair!” Dai-chan says to Yuto when he sees him in the changing room doing his hair. “You should look about 5 foot 3 with this outfit, not nearly six foot!”  
“The extra height makes a lot of difference.” Yabu says. “Yuto has the extra length to sacrifice and it still won’t make him look short.”  
“You’re the one to talk!” Yamada smirks.   
“Yuya definitely looks smaller with crop trousers.” Chinen says. “But the truth comes out the moment I stand next to him.”  
“Yuto has grown a lot since we debut.” Hikaru says.  
“Ready for the group photos?” the photographer says as the nine of them hurry onto the set. “If I can have you in height order...” Chinen moves and turns to face the left of the room. “Everybody behind Chinen-san please.” Yamada stands behind Chinen and Dai-chan after him. Inoo and Hikaru look at each other and Inoo stands in front of him, but Keito slots himself between them. Yuya stands between Hikaru and Keito, and Yabu stands right at the back with Yuto in front of him. “Is it okay if we move you around?”  
“Well this is awkward...” Hikaru mumbles. “We don’t even know our height order.”  
“We know our own height.” Yuya says.   
“We can go by age instead?” Inoo says.   
“Please go ahead.” Yabu says authoritatively. Sometimes he takes his position of the oldest of the member very seriously.   
“Chinen-san can stay where he is...” The photographer says.  
“Funny that.” Chinen smirks.   
“Arioka-san, can you swap with Yamada-san please?” Both of them are shocked.  
“But I am taller than Yamada by half centimetres!” Dai-chan says.   
“Remember when we did the photo at Little Tokyo? I am taller than you according to the staffs. Take that, Chibi.” Yamada whispers before moving behind Dai-chan to take the third in the line.   
“It’s probably a good thing, because Yamada will stop Inoo and Arioka fighting.” Hikaru smirks. “We’ll be able to finish earlier if we separate them.”  
“I can say the same thing about Yamada and Chinen.” Dai-chan says. “I am the separator.”  
“...Okamoto-san, please can you swap with Yaotome-san.” The photographer says.   
“Really?” Hikaru asks. “Keito is taller than me?”  
“Not by much, it’s about the same but I think Okamoto-san’s hair is slightly higher.” The photographer says. “Takaki-san, please can you swap with Okamoto-san.” The photographer looks into his camera again. “Yabu-san, please can you swap with Nakajima-san?”  
“But Yabu-kun and I are the same height.” Yuto says. “It shouldn’t matter.” Chinen turns his head and looks behind.  
“Yutti, you are taller than Kota.” Chinen says as they all turn their heads to look at Yabu and Yuto, then they all nod in agreement. “Don’t underestimate your height.” Yuto sighs and moves behind Yabu.   
“Are you sure it’s not the hair?” Yuto asks. Yabu laughs.   
“I think you are taller than me Yuto.” Yabu answers, gently patting his hand.  
“I remember when I was taller than Yuto.” Inoo sulks.  
“I remember when I was taller than Yuto.” Dai-chan says.  
“You were? When?” Yamada asks.  
“I was definitely taller than Yuto when we did ‘Hey! Say!’.” Dai-chan says. “Remember when we have to stand on those boxes? I only had one, Yuto had two.”  
“One and a half.” Yuto says. “Actually.”  
“I had two.” Yamada adds.   
“I had the most!” Chinen smiles. “Three!”  
“I was taller than Yuto.” Hikaru says.  
“I was taller than Yuto at that point too.” Yuya says. “When did you grow up?”  
“You mean, when did Yuto start growing like a weed?” Hikaru asks. “Because as far as I am aware, none of us did much of the ‘up’ bit except for Kota.”  
“Only because someone needs to be responsible and I am the oldest, and you guys aren’t going to grow ‘up’, especially you, Yaotome Hikaru!” Yabu says. 

\---

“You know that duplex that senpai were showing you?” Yuto says, tucking himself into Yamada’s sofa so that his head is on the arm rest and his legs are not dangling off it. It feels weird but Yuto just can’t get himself comfortable.   
“I told you not to watch it!” Yamada says from the kitchen.  
“What, when?” Yuto asks. Then Yamada remembers Yuto wasn’t in the room when he said it.   
“Never mind.” Yamada sulks.   
“So that duplex...”  
“The one in South Azabu?” Yamada asks. “Why, are you interested?”  
“Do you really think the bathtub is really that long?”  
“What?”  
“I just thought that would be quite handy to have.” Yuto says.   
“You have a large tub already.”  
“But not one that I can stretch out full length.” Yuto says.   
“But you can stretch out in your bathtub already. And it’s big enough for both of us to be in the tub. I can easily sleep in the tub if we run out of space in your flat.” Yamada says.   
“For a start, you’ll always been sleeping next to me if you’re in my flat. The only person that will ever need to sleep in a bathtub is Dai-chan.” Yuto says. “Secondly, I can stretch out in my bathtub, but with this one I can submerge myself completely.”  
“If that’s the case, then I will probably drown if you have a bigger tub because I wouldn’t have anywhere to put my weight on.” Yamada sighs and carries two cup of tea towards the sitting room. Yuto swings his legs off the sofa and sits up, and as Yamada sits down, he puts his head on his lap and his legs dangles off the sofa. 

Yamada looks at Yuto’s legs and sighs. 

“Besides, I don’t think you’ll be able to submerge yourself. That tub is only 180 cm long.”  
“I’m only 178.” Yuto answers.

178 cm.  
That’s a lie.   
Yuto is taller than Yabu and Yabu is 178 cm.  
Yuto has to be at least 180 cm. 

“When was the last time you measured yourself?” Yamada asks.  
“Back when we were in school? Last year of high school?”   
“That’s years ago!” Yamada laughs. “You have definitely grown since then!”  
“Really?”   
“Yes. Because I haven’t grown and you just keep going.” Yamada answers. Yuto doesn’t say anything. He knows Yamada is sensitive when it comes to the fact that he is (slightly) vertically challenged. “Maybe you should get yourself measured again when we go to onsen next time.”  
“I don’t know, is this type of stuff not just an estimate anyway?” Yuto asks. “I mean, you and Dai-chan are about the same size...”  
“He insists he is 0.5 cm taller than me during the photoshoot, remember?” Yamada laughs.   
“Yes. Very important.” Yuto says. “But at the last Little Tokyo Life they took a photo of the nine of us and you looked taller.”   
“He was probably not standing up straight.”  
“I still think I am the same height at Yabu-kun.”  
“Didn’t Yabu-kun moan a while ago that your trousers are too long for him?” Yamada says. “When he has to borrow a pair of jeans from you?”  
“My jeans are long for me. I tuck my jeans into my boots and to make it look nicer I have to get longer jeans just so that it can pad up nicely into the boots because I have chicken legs.” Yuto says. “And apparently covering my ankles is now a luxury and I only get to do it during my own private time.” Yamada can’t help but laugh. It is true that Yuto has his ankles out a little too much. But then it’s just so that he can appear shorter because he just won’t stop growing.   
“Have you always been half a head taller than me?” Yamada asks, running his hand through Yuto’s hair.   
“We were the same size once.” Yuto says. “Remember when you use to piggyback me?”  
“Just because I can piggyback you, doesn’t mean we were the same size. I still pick you up when you fall asleep at the weirdest place.” Yamada says.   
“Well if Chinen piggybacks me I am sure my legs will still be on the floor. Not that he is strong enough to pick me up.” Yuto answers. “I guess when we were about 12 or 13 maybe? We were definitely the same size back then because we used to swap clothes.”  
“I still wear your clothes.”  
“But I can’t fit into yours.” Yuto says. “At least the length of your trousers isn’t quite enough, unless I have long boots.”   
“What does it feel like to have long legs?”  
“Honestly?” Yamada nods. “Half of the time I am not sure where they are.”  
“Still?” Yuto nods. “How?”  
“Well I am always walking into things.” Yuto answers. “And you know for ‘Kimi no attraction’ when we have to swing our legs on the floor?” Yamada nods. “I kept thinking I will swing my leg and take Chinen down because I have no idea how long my legs are. And when I did ‘Detective Ballerino’, I was told try not to hit the lightbulb but my arms are too long. I personally think this height thing can be a curse.”  
“Really?” Yuto nods. “I’d do anything to hit 170.”  
“But you’re the perfect size for my height.” Yuto says. “The only time when I am glad being my height is when I stand next to you because we look so good together.”  
“Are you sure?” Yamada asks. “Even when we do SEVEN shoots and you are constantly being told to crotch down or sit on the floor with Keito?”  
“Yes.” Yuto says. “On the other hand I don’t understand why we can’t have pictures taken with you on my back and Chinen on Keito’s.”   
“Chinen jumps on your back all the time.”   
“As it has been show-cased in Little Tokyo.” Yuto answers. “But so do you.”   
“Only in private.” Yamada answers, still running his hand through Yuto’s hair, watching his fingers disappearing into the dark mess. “And you know when we don’t get to do things together much; I swear to god they regretted it the moment our names are together for that episode at the theme parks.”   
“To be fair I thought Inoo-chan was good at covering for us.” Yuto says.   
“I don’t think they’ll let us go on location with just one extra person anymore.” Yamada says.   
“We’ll see about that.” Yuto smirks.   
“And you need a haircut.”  
“If you stop bleaching your hair, I’ll thinking about it.”

\---

Yamada holds a copy of the weekly gossip magazine that threatens (pfft) to expose Yuto’s relationship with Yoshida Yo (who is at least 20 years older than he is), and he isn’t sure if he should be laughing or crying.  
If you know Yuto, you’ll realise that the man in the photos cannot physically be Yuto.  
With a hat covering most of his face as well as a massive facemask covering the rest of it, there is no way anybody can identify the man as Yuto.   
And the glasses.  
Those are not Yuto’s glasses.   
Also, Yuto doesn’t wear leather jacket in public. He doesn’t like the texture of it and he always says leather jacket is too heavy. The man is also slouching in the photo, and Yuto always stands tall no matter what he is doing. He is an extravert, he doesn’t slouch and appears smaller than he is.   
And Yuto’s legs are definitely longer than that.  
Besides, Yamada knows Yoshida-san is about the same height as he is.   
He walked past her once, when Yuto was filming Hanzawa Naoki and he was meeting up with him. He was stuck in traffic for a while and was desperate for the toilet so he went searching for it the moment he got to the set. She just finished her scene and was about to leave.   
From the first photo, Yoshida-san looks she is at least 170 cm, standing next to ‘Yuto’.   
And in the second photo, she is definitely not wearing heels.  
He knows exactly what it feels like standing next to Yuto and he is definitely half a head taller. Not just but a fraction of a forehead.   
Besides, the whole of JUMP were together that night. He couldn’t have been out having dinner with Yoshida-san and then went to her house.  
And stayed for seven consecutive nights.  
Yuto doesn’t have time to sleep, let alone spending seven consecutive nights at someone else’s house.  
He puts the magazine down on the kitchen counter and starts cutting up those vegetables for dinner. Yuto is on his way back from a family wedding, and he said he would only be about an hour.

“Tadaima...” Yuto says as he slumps onto Yamada’s back in the kitchen. He sees a copy of the gossip magazine on the kitchen surface as Yamada makes dinner. “You bought a copy.”   
“Actually, I found it in your post-box when I got here earlier.” Yamada says, sticking a spoonful into Yuto’s mouth. “Taste please?”  
“Maybe a little bit more sugar?” Yuto says as he puts his bag down on one of the chairs by the table. Yamada tries a bit of the sauce. “A copy in my post-box?”  
“You are getting good at this.” He says. “Yes, a copy.”  
“Because you’re a good teacher.” Yuto says, picking up the magazine. “Wonder who puts it there.”  
“Someone who knows you live here?” Yuto shrugs.   
“Thing is, how could people possible think it’s me? Do I appear to have a beer belly?” Yuto asks, flicking to the double page spread about Yoshida.   
“Who knows?” Yamada says, still facing the stove.  
“If that’s what the public thinks I look like, there’s a serious issue.” Yuto says, trying to make a joke out of it. “My ikemen status is not very secure.”  
“It’s not going to be secure if they know how dorky you are.” Yamada says. “Besides, I knew it wasn’t you.”  
“Does everybody know it wasn’t me?” Yuto mumbles.   
“It doesn’t matter, as long as you and I know that wasn’t you.” Yamada says.   
“Why are you so sure, besides the fact that I am with you right here that night?”  
“I know you like the back of my hand.” Yamada says. “You don’t have to put up a front with me, you know?”   
“I don’t know why I am being targeted by them.” Yuto says, burying his face into his palms. “Seriously. Why are people so interested in my personal life?”  
“It’s like what Keito said.” Yamada says, turning the stove off after putting a lid over the saucepan before walking to Yuto and gently rubs his head and kisses the top of the masses of hair. “You chose this life, and unfortunately this is something you have to endure.”

\---

Yuto is scratching on the back of Yamada’s head as he uses his shoulder and arm as his personal pillow, and he can hear his little puffing noise which indicates that Yamada is very close to completely knocked out by sleep. Yuto can’t sleep, he is still thinking about the whole Yoshida-san thing. Everything seems to have been timed a bit too well. The only time he worked with Yoshida-san is when they were doing Hanzawa Naoto. 

“Eeh?” Yuto says, suddenly sitting up from the bed, Yamada’s head slip onto the cool pillow.   
“What’s the matter?” Yamada ask in his half-asleep state.  
“Uehara Takako.” Yuto says, turning his head to look at Yamada.  
“What about Uehara Takako?” Yamada asks, covering his eyes with his arm. “Please don’t tell me you dream about her? Because I can barely deal with Yoshida-san, let alone another female. I know she’s not as old as Yoshida-san, but the whole ‘experience female’ thing is doing my head in.”  
“Remember when the same magazine got a shot of Akanishi-kun with her?” Yuto asks, lying back down on the bed facing Yamada who automatically turns his whole body towards Yuto, tucking himself into his arms.  
“How long ago was that?” Yamada asks into Yuto’s chest. “Like 10 years? When they were about our age?”  
“Remember how Akanishi-kun looked as if he knew?” Yuto says. “He was looking into the camera and everything.”   
“Yeah, and I thought it was really weird because although it’s not public knowledge that Akanishi-kun and niichan were together, it was kind of like public knowledge. At least in the agency.” Yamada says. “Nagase-kun didn’t call them ‘Akame’ for nothing.”  
“And niichan didn’t react when he saw the news.” Yuto says, stroking onto Yamada’s back like he always does. “It was really weird because remember how the two of us ran into KAT-TUN’s dressing room and trying to make niichan laugh and insist that we need him to babysit us for the day? Take us out to dinner and take us to his place and we’re going to spend the night with him?” Yamada hums in agreement. “And niichan was all ‘thank you for being so caring, but I am okay’?” Yamada nods. “Then Ueda-kun said something like ‘they are onto you two’ and we didn’t understand what it means?”   
“What are you implying?” Yamada asks.   
“Niichan and Akanishi-kun never made it official to anybody.” Yuto says. “Everybody just ‘assumed’ and then everybody just ‘knew’. Like you said, Nagase-kun used to call them ‘Akame’.” Yamada nods. “Everybody in JUMP assume we are together. Niichan assumes we are together.” Yamada nods again. “Even Okamoto-senpai thinks we are together.” Yuto brushes a strand of hair off Yamada’s face. ”Do you think someone is onto us?” Yuto asks. Yamada’s eyes shoot open, and all the sleepiness are gone from his face.   
“But... how?” Yamada asks.   
“We are getting too close maybe?”  
“But we always bring Chinen and Keito with us.” Yamada says, tightens his arm round Yuto’s waist.  
“Except when you’re always the last person I drop off home and you’re always there already when we met up.” Yuto says.   
“There couldn’t physically be any evidence of us together.”  
“I didn’t think so either. Hence instead of doing what they did to niichan and Akanishi-kun, they find someone who looks similar to me, and photograph him with Yoshida-san?”  
“But he doesn’t look like you. We have established that.” Yamada says.   
“Only because you know me well enough, and I was with you that night.” Yuto says. “What about everybody else? I don’t think anybody in the agency think that is me, but the general public doesn’t think so. I don’t want to have to explain myself when I didn’t do anything.” Yamada buries his head back into Yuto’s chest, slotting his legs between Yuto’s and wraps his arms tightly round him.  
“I know it’s not you, and nothing else matters.” Yamada mumbles into Yuto’s chest. “Worst come to the worst we’ll just tell everybody that we are together. They are expecting us to be together anyway, we might as well make their dreams come true. That’s what JUMP do, right? Making people’s dreams come true. We sing about it already.”

\---

Yuto is tempted to call in sick and not go to the J-Sport baseball game. He isn’t sure how much explaining he will have to do, even though Yamada said they can just tell everybody that they are together.   
“We’re going to be fine, okay?” Yamada smiles. “I will see you later, I gotta go and get my hair done with Dai-chan.”   
“More bleach?”  
“Yes.” Yamada answers. “For Edward.”  
“Okay.” Yuto says, and for once he isn’t complaining about Yamada and his bleaching addiction. Yamada knows that’s not a good sign. Yuto doesn’t say it out loud, but he doesn’t like the bleached hair because it doesn’t feel nice in his hand. He said that before. Yuto picks up his bag before heading out of the door but Yamada grabs his arm and stands on his tip toes to give him a long lingering kiss.   
“I love you. That’s what matters. You know that, right?”  
“I love you too.” Yuto answers. “And I know.”

\---

Yabu and Yuya are already in their dressing room when Yuto arrives. The two of them smiles at him, both of them pat him on the shoulder to convey an ‘I understand’ as the three of them sits together. Yuto sits between them, and Yabu throws an arm round him. Yuya pats him on the hair as if Yuto is little again. There was a knock on their dressing room door when Kameanshi’s head pops in.  
“Niichan?” Yuto says and Kameanshi smiles at him before signalling him to walk out of the room. “Is everything okay?”  
“Remember when there is a rumour about me and Koizumi Kyoko-san?” Yuto nods. “Remember what I said?” Yuto shakes his head. “I said ‘Koizumi Koyko-san is a very important senpai who I admire very much, who debut 4 years before I was born’.” Yuto realise what Kamenashi is saying. “Yoshida Yo-san has been in the public eyes since you were four years old.” Yuto nods.   
“Thank you niichan.” Yuto says as Kameanshi reaches up to ruffle his hair.   
“Everybody’s eyes will be on you, it’ll be uncomfortable.” Kamenashi says. “You are going to be okay?”  
“I have to be.”  
“I am sorry I am not on the same side as you.” Kamenashi sighs. “But Yabu is right?” Yuto nods. “You’ll be fine. I know you feel rough but unfortunately you’re going to have to power through it. It’s an experience that we all hate but we all have to learn how to do it. I know you can.”  
“Thank you niichan.”

\---

Yuto wants to be himself, but he just can’t.  
It does feel like everybody is watching his every move.  
He just can’t get himself to be hyped up.  
“You alright kid?” Higashiyama says to Yuto as he sits down next to him. “Don’t let the little things bother you okay? You’re better than that.”   
“Thank you senpai.” Yuto answers. He tries to smile, but it just isn’t going to happen. Higashiyama pats him gently on the shoulder before wandering over to talk to Koichi and starts talking strategy.   
They have worked together before, and Higashiyama can be scary, but at the end of the day he is a respectable senpai and he has made a point to talk to him about it and tells him not to worry about it. He knows what the truth is. Ninomiya, even though on the other team comes up to him and pats him on the shoulder.  
“Fuck them all.” Ninomiya says, waving his arms around. “Fuck them all Nakaji. Don’t listen to them and don’t worry about it. We all know the truth. You and Yama-chan are forever. YutoYama for life.”  
Yuto isn’t sure whether to laugh or cry at his statement.   
“Thank you Ninomiya-kun.” Yuto says instead.   
Sakamoto puts an arm around his shoulder as he walks past and gives him a big smile.  
“Let’s do this kiddo.” He says. Yuto nods. “I’m gonna be with you every step of the way.”  
Even Tsubasa pats him on his arm.  
He doesn’t say much, just a smile and a nod.  
Yuto is grateful for every single senpai that express their thoughts.  
Chinen, Keito and Hikaru join them as special guests halfway through the game, and Chinen is on the same team as he is with Yabu. Keito throws an arm round his neck and nods at him whilst Hikaru ruffles his hair.  
“That’s the price for being the ikemen.” Hikaru says. “Your impostor is terrible though. At least work out before having that photo taken.”  
Chinen tucks himself next to him on the bench and pats his leg before breaking into a comforting smile at Yuto.   
And he feels a bit better with Chinen right next to him. He might be compact, but no one ever denies Chinen’s existence. He glares at every reporter that wants to come up to them until they back away, and always turns to look at Yuto with a bright smile.  
“I’ll take this next one, yeah?” Chinen says, picking up Yuto’s baseball bat. Before Yuto can answer him, he is already walking towards the box.   
Yuto cannot be thankful enough.

\---

When Yamada and Dai-chan get to Tokyo Dome, they are just in time for the stage part and Yamada wears a J-White jacket with his freshly bleached bright blond hair (getting ready to play Edward soon) and dark ripped jeans.   
As they do the interlude in the middle of ‘Weekender’, he can’t help but keep his eyes on Yuto, because he knows one thing Yuto does well no matter what is focus on him.  
And they manage to perform song without much problem (and one man down because Inoo isn’t there), and they all say their goodbyes and thank you before heading back into the dressing room.   
“Yutti, the photos...” Keito says as they shut the door, but he isn’t quite sure how to finish the sentence. He hasn’t talked to Yuto the whole day as he hasn’t had a chance, but Keito being Keito, he wants to let Yuto know he is there for him.  
“We know it isn’t you.” Chinen answers as Keito settles onto the floor.   
“Your hair doesn’t look like that underneath a hat.” Yuya smiles from the side of the room.   
“And you are more statuesque than that.” Yabu says. “Even though mentally you aren’t.”  
“Also you have better fashion sense.” Hikaru adds. “You always look perfect even you’re not in the spotlight.”  
“And weren’t we all at the onsen anyway that night?” Dai-chan says. “It was the last night before we head back to Tokyo, wasn’t it?” Keito digs out his phone and checks his calendar and nods like a bobbling figure.  
“Dai-chan is right. We were driving home on the tenth of March from the onsen.” Hikaru says. “So the magazine is just making things up for the sake of it.”  
“Why though?” Keito asks.   
“Well we thought...” Yamada says but Yuto stops him.  
“Sanada Maru.” Yuto says. “Yoshida-san is in this year’s taiga drama.”  
“Publicity?” Yamada asks and Yuto nods. “That’s what you were thinking last night.”  
“I thought they decided to use the same tactic as they did before because Yamada is with you, and the two of you are stupidly calm regarding this whole thing.” Yabu says and looks at Yamada and Yuto. Yamada realises Yabu is referring to the situation that Yuto was telling him last night. Yamada doesn’t realise Yabu is aware of THAT case too. They phones all beep at the same time, and they know it’s a message from their manager.  
“Well at least the agency has dealt with this now.” Yabu says after reading the message. “It’s all ridiculous anyway. We are all normal human being at the end of the day, and what we do in our private time doesn’t have anything to do with anybody.” They all nods.   
“And if Yuto wants to date an elderly woman, we’ll deal with it.” Yuya laughs.  
“We’re got your back.” Chinen says as he pats Yamada and Yuto’s back when he walks past.   
“Let’s go and get this last bit over and done with.” Hikaru says, standing up from his chair and heads towards the door, but on the way out, Yuto stretches and nearly trips over Hikaru, who stumbles and falls on top of Keito and Chinen. Both of them try to brace their fall but end up on the floor. Dai-chan can’t stop himself in time and trips over the massive lump of the floor, but before he falls over, Dai-chan grabs the nearest thing, which is Yuya and pulls him down at the same time. Yuya is tangled in his own jumper which Yabu is sitting on, and he pulls Yabu with him. Yuto and Yamada just look at the pile on the floor.  
“Nakajima Yuto! Put those stupidly long legs away before I saw them off!” Hikaru shouts from the bottom of the pile.  
“Sorry.” Yuto smiles uncomfortably.


End file.
